Bahrain plans $95m flyover

Manama, July 27, 2011

A BD36 million ($95.4 million) three-level flyover and underpass project is in the pipeline to ease traffic jams on one of Bahrain's busiest commuter routes.

The project, which includes new traffic signals, will be tendered shortly, and is being introduced on Shaikh Jaber Bin Al Sabah Highway to replace the Nuwaidrat and Alba roundabouts.

"Businesses along the way will also be rehabilitated as part of the project, which is expected to take two years to complete," said a Works Ministry spokesman.

"Construction involves the development of Alba roundabout intersection and creating a three-level flyover carrying traffic from all directions," he added.

"The present roundabout in Nuwaidrat will be removed and a new road built to connect to the area where the Alba Roundabout is," the spokesman said.

"A new suspension bridge will also be built at the site of the Alba Roundabout," the spokesman added.

The spokesman said although no time-frame had been fixed for the awarding of the tender and construction of the project, it was part of the ministry's 2011-2012 budget.

He said the implementation of the project would also form part of the international road link between Bahrain and Qatar.

"It will eventually connect to the proposed Bahrain-Qatar Friendship Bridge," the spokesman added.

The spokesman said once completed, there would be uninterrupted traffic between Khalifa bin Salman Port and the starting point of the proposed Friendship Bridge in Bahrain, passing through (by then completed) Mina Salman and Umm Al Hassam intersections.

Meanwhile, sources said work on the BD25 milion Mina Salman Interchange will formally begin on Monday.

Construction has been awarded to Indian company Afcons Infrastructure.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2013, sources added.

Sources also said work on the BD43 million Isa Town Interchange project was nearing completion.

"All is on track for the entire construction to be completed by the end of next month," they added. – TradeArabia News Service